SkyWorld
by readerdreamer5625
Summary: A soul reincarnated. A life that was lost remembered. This is the story of the World that was reborn as the Sky. GEN
1. Sky

**AN: Evil, evil plotbunny. Stop procreating behind my back, you nasty little gremlins!**

**Ah, Muse-chan… no, I was only joking. Really. I love them, and I will care for them. _Really!_**

**Okay, let's stop joking and get on with the story. This is actually a pilot chapter, and depending on the response (namely, _reviews_) I may continue this little ficlet.**

* * *

**Prolouge: Sky**

* * *

Am I only going to die like this?

Would I only die, after being left behind to drown by those I barely know?

The water is cold. I can't breathe. It's painful.

I don't want to _die!_

_Don't worry. You won't die, myself. I'll be there for you._

What's that voice?

I don't… know…

"-Tsu-kun, Tsu-kun! Wake up! It's only a nightmare!"

My eyes opened, and I woke up with a gasp. My mom –_she's a better mother than who I had before_\- looked at me worriedly, tears in her eyes as she hugged me tightly. The beeping sounds of a heart monitor rang in my ears, along with her soft whispers, saying _sorrysorrywhydidn'tInoticebefore_. I didn't like it.

I didn't like having my mother cry. A memory of another life, of the one I remembered on the brink of death, came into my mind.

"I'm alright, Kaa-san." I said as firmly as I could, even while knowing it would help little to calm her down. "I'm alright now."

My name is Sawada Tsunayoshi, and five days and twelve hours ago I almost drowned in a river, being beaten by bullies whose names I never knew.

My name is Tsuna, and my name _was_ Narukami Yu.

I forced a smile to my lips as I tried to calm her down -_It won't work. Didn't work for Nanako_\- knowing that ultimately it won't stop her from crying.

Ever since I awoke for the first time two days ago and _changed_, Mom always cried when I smiled.

_"You used to have the most beautiful smile, Tsu-kun…"_

* * *

**AN: And that's that.**

**Shortest chapter I probably ever made, and the only one with no trace of humor.**

**Yes, this is a reincarnation fic. Post-_Good Epilouge _of Persona 4 reincarnation fic to be exact.**

**I'm still forming the finer details, so please leave behind your comments and expectations for this fic. It may help the next update come faster – _if _the response is good in the first place. If I'm not continuing it though, it may turn into a writing prompt, so watch out for whoever wants to adopt it.**

**For those who were expecting the next chapter of _To Become A Campione_, update would be up by tomorrow.**

**_ "The toe is a device to find furniture in a dark room."_**

**_ -Readerdreamer5625_**


	2. World

**AN: So… in the end I updated this fic. Huh, let's see how long it lasts.**

**I spent some time actually debating whether to include Personas in this fic, and ultimately I decided to… not include them. As fun as having a Tsuna who can curbstomp everyone on his path with overpowered Megidolaons and unfair Fire/Phys resistances, it's better that he curbstomps them – while following KHR rules that is.**

**So yes, ultimately, the result would be a Tsuna with only Yu's memories. Plus some cosmetic changes. Or are they _really_ purely cosmetic after all?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Persona 4 or Katekyo Hitman Reborn. I don't really want to be hunted down by either mafia or the I.T. because I made their life difficult.**

* * *

**Re-louge: World**

* * *

Kurokawa Hana didn't know what to think of Sawada Tsunayoshi. Or at least as he was now, because at least before she could say truthfully that he _was_ a no-good monkey, with particularly gravity-defying hair and doe-eyes.

When she had heard of the incident that happened to him however, causing him to take a few weeks stay in the hospital, she was torn between apologizing to him and acting indifferent at the entire matter before deciding to wait for his reaction before she could choose her own.

She hadn't expected it to happen so dramatically.

Wide eyes before that used to twinkle in a sort of innocence that she never really cared about before, turned into sharp, narrowed, _knowing_ eyes that still carried no malice, but instead filled with a sort of weariness. His hair remained the same though, but ultimately it was only a small trifle of a detail to keep when you took the moment to stare at those irises of his.

What previously were chocolate-brown, a color that was more fit for a girl than anyone else, became the color of dark burnished orange, almost bronze, with a glint of pure greyish-silver near his pupils. They were further emphasized by the new _calm_ air around the teen, almost perceptible as cool steel in its subtle, but undeniable, intensity.

When he had opened those eyes to the front of the class when he was welcomed, or more actually unsubtly insulted, by Nezu to completely explain his situation – as if anybody didn't know of it as of yet, plus one shouldn't have spoke little of such trauma – shouts had been the response. The more stupid monkeys actually rose from their seat and yelled at the surprisingly calm teen to explain why he was _trying to be cool, Dame-Tsuna?_

The reply was actually with a quite soft, and more importantly unaffected by the jeers, voice that slipped out of his thinned lips that were almost a mockery of the rare smiles she had seen before.

"I'm sorry, but I can't actually explain. Even the doctors didn't know what happened, only that for some reason my eyes have permanently changed into this color. And if I actually knew why, why would you think I would like to remember what may have caused such a drastic change to them?"

Silence reigned as everyone weighed those words. Images of the possibilities of _chemicals, burned into his eyes by bullies_ flashed in Hana's eyes, and she found herself shaking her head and glaring down the offending monkey of a boy.

Kyoko, the kind emphatic girl she was, posed her question worriedly. "Ah, Sawada-san, would your vision be alright then?"

A nod was the response. "Thankfully, it seems that the effects are purely cosmetic. You all may simply think that it's just contacts; I won't mind."

And with that, the 'explanation' forgotten with the subject of his eyes, Sawada Tsunayoshi calmly and silently walked back to his seat. For some reason, Hana found herself holding back a growl at the sudden realization that his desk was _covered with scribbles and graffiti_, all of it not complimentary in the slightest. But the brunet only took to it with a single glance, before blinking his eyes once and turning to seat himself properly.

At that moment, a strange glint of resolve passed in his eyes. She would only realize what it actually meant later.

* * *

Sawada Tsunayoshi, or more exactly, the fleeting image of Narukami Yu left inside him, knew that he had to change his situation.

It was kind of strange and confusing, waking up and remembering memories that were not yours and in the same time _were_, and he even took the time to think who exactly he was back then at the hospital. Ultimately, with the sort of calm acceptance Narukami Yu was known for back in _his_ world, he had decided that he was _now_ Sawada Tsunayoshi, a middle-schooler with a sad history of having little friends and few achievements to match, only having an admittedly air-headed kind woman as a mother and only companion.

Not that he would ever say it now about her, for Sawada Nana had started to become quite a strong-willed woman, and she would've even decided to leave Namimori altogether if it weren't for his convincing.

However, as much as he had accepted that history, he wasn't going to let it stay the same anymore. His situation, as _Sawada Tsunayoshi_, was almost similar to his past before he arrived in Inaba, only worse because at least _Narukami Yu_ had his outstanding accomplishments and abilities to stave off the worst of people; the kind that played with the wills of others lesser than them.

To think that Sawada Tsunayoshi- no, _he_ had even smiled back then, even if rarely, it ultimately made him even stronger than the former leader of the Investigation Team.

His first steps were actually quite slow, but _Yu_ was anything but impatient. The first moment that Nana had asked him for what he wanted her to get him, he had asked for some of his schoolbooks, explaining that he wanted to move on from his past failings. It caused her to fall into tears again; apologies falling out of her lips before he gave her the tightest hug his weak arms could give, whispering that it was _his_ decision to change, not hers, before wiping away the beads of moisture from her eyes.

She had promised then too, that she would accompany him on this journey, to change beside him and develop into a better person.

Both Narukami Yu and Sawada Tsunayoshi wept their own tears from her willful statement, for while one never had a loving mother before, the other had almost wished that she didn't have to. But ultimately, both of them agreed that it was for the best. Ultimately, _Sawada Tsunayoshi_ accepted that this was for the best.

Soon enough, his _previous _memories of another life as a school valedictorian for more than ten years, of a life in another world, proved to be true as he simply read through the books without difficulty. No new knowledge was actually learned, but at least he both had viable reason to explain away his newfound intelligence and proof that he, as _Narukami Yu_, was reincarnated in another world different from his previous life.

There were both simple and complicated changes, from the most minor differences in history of Japan to the lack of certain companies like the _Junes_ to the very _existence _of Inaba.

He had taken more than an hour trying to find his beloved town in all the maps he could get his hands on, but to no avail. In this world, Inaba never had and never would exist, only a single landfill site in its place on the map of Japan. So did his previous friends, from Yosuke, to Chie, to Yukiko, Kanji, Teddie, and Naoto, to every single person that he had talked to on that year that forever changed his view of the world. Nothing in the net could ever give even the slightest information on them.

It wasn't that he had planned on talking to their counterparts like they were old friends, even if _he _was an old friend from another world, but cold proof that they were never even born felt like painful stabs at his heart.

It took him days before he could finally show his eyes to Nana without having to worry about the traces of his tears being noticed.

But then, he had resolved to live as Sawada Tsunayoshi, and ensure that he _would_ find his own friends, his own companions and almost-family.

* * *

**AN: Short chapter again, but ****in the first place**** this chapter is only my response and proof that I would continue this story. It also felt like I couldn't write more of this chapter before crying myself. Why did I have to hurt Yu so much again? For someone who hates angst, I'm finding myself surprisingly good at writing an outline that has lots of it…**

**Oh yeah, how exactly Yu _died_ would be revealed in future chapters. It would actually be a continuation of the Good Epilogue, with a _less_ good and _more_ tragic ending after the game ending. I just know I won't like writing it. I hate hurting my characters after all, even for the sake of my plot. "_Throw stones at your characters, tie them up and throw stones at them, even if it breaks your little scribbler's heart"_ eh?**

**On the KHR side, it would also be an AU from canon, so don't expect things to stay the same, _mostly_. For one, Reborn _wouldn't_ ever become Tsuna's tutor. Think of that. None of the standard first meetings that happened in KHR between Tsuna and the rest of the gang (Yamamoto almost committing suicide, Ryohei challenging him to a boxing match, Haru beating him up with a _hockey stick_, Gokudera fan-boying after him after he was pulled away from his bombs etc.) also _won't_ happen. But they _would_ all meet, yes. After all, what is a Tsuna without the rest of his friends?**

**Having a bunch of OCs as main characters would be also in bad taste after all.**

**Next one would come in a week or two, and would be much longer, probably 7K or more. Please leave your reviews behind though, especially about my decision to not include Personas. I'd like to know your opinions, and while favs and follows are nice, ultimately I won't be entirely sure what exactly you guys like and hate unless you leave reviews.**

**_"Willpower is when you hold yourself back from eating chocolate on a bad day."_**

**_-Readerdreamer5625_**


	3. Rain, Introduction

**AN: I hate Valentines very much. Very, very much. Blame it for the broken deadline. I myself don't like doing that; I've been on the other side of the deadline deal a bit too much to not feel guilty.**

**Disclaimer: _I don't own either fandoms._**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Rain, Introduction**

* * *

"Yu-jiisan! Seta's being boring again!"

With an acquiescent smile, Yu found himself staring at his nephews before sending sheepish glances at his co-workers. They, being people already used to the sight, only smiled back knowingly before turning back to their work, being momentarily distracted by the high-pitched voice of one very excitable boy.

Souji, the younger twin between his two nephews, pointed at his fellow blue-haired brother who was simply rolling his eyes as he read another book.

Tatsumi Seta and Tatsumi Souji; the only kids in their tight-knit family that was the Investigation Team. Being the only children of both Naoto and Kanji, they were both favorites by the entire gang, especially by their aunt Nanako who often liked playing with them whenever she had time away from her college.

Nearly ten years had passed ever since he had first entered Inaba, and he and his group of friends never really lost touch between each other.

After that almost-impossibly long senior year without his closest friends, with some coordination, somehow he, Yosuke, Chie, and Yukiko had managed to get into a single college, only to be followed by the rest of the group, Teddie being the most surprising one of them all as he managed to ace all of his entrance exams with only two years worth of studying.

Their college days were of course often fraught with problems, petty arguments, and the occasional romantic escapades, but each and every one of them all agreed that they were the best years of their lives, the first one with all of them together in Inaba notwithstanding what with the case they had to solve.

Regarding Naoto and Kanji though, it was only after _Yu_ almost snapped at the sight of them and the almost tangible sexual tension that always accompanied them did the rest of the I.T. gang decide to become matchmakers, doing everything they could do to make the two knuckleheads to get together – that is, barring pushing them both into a single cabinet and getting it over with.

She _did_ have a gun after all.

Interestingly, beyond the two of them, no one else in the group had ended up pairing with each other – or even with somebody else. It seemed that the rest of them were all already satisfied with simply having each other as friends-almost-family, with Yukiko even deciding to simply choose an heir from one of her cousins in her Inn. They never really felt any lacking for kids though, as the Tatsumi twins soon proved to be exhausting enough to be quite enough for all of them.

"_Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu, Yu!_"

With a sigh, Yu turned to the man, almost man-child when it came to him, who had come running down from the Office of The CEO just to talk to him. One of Yu's brows twitched when the snickers of his amused coworkers reached his ears, no doubt still finding the sight of their boss jumping up like a puppy pretty funny even years after it first happened.

Yosuke Hanamura, the boss of the IT Conglomerate, had an entirely goofy smile on his face as he slammed a single computer tablet on his desk, attracting the attention of both him and the twins.

_"Rise Kujikawa and Ted Kumajirou are finally returning to Japan for the end of their world tour!"_

Reading the news, Yu found himself asking, "And why is this a surprise? Don't we all know that the two of them were planning to go back this month, since you know, _last year_ before they even went on their tour?"

Yosuke made a tsk-tsk-tsk sound. "Yu, you should know what that means. It means that we all can finally get a short time for vacation, all of us together again!"

At that statement, everyone else in the room made several shouts of joy, causing Yu to roll his eyes. Just because they had vacation too when their bosses were, they were celebrating? Don't they realize that in the end, all of them had to get through the no-doubt resultant backlog of an entire company going on leave for an entire week? Sure, the I.T. Conglomerate was pretty rich, but…

Souji looked funnily at him, no doubt noticing his bemusement. "Yu-jiisan's doing it again, Yosuke-jiji!"

With a dramatic clench of his hands over his heart, Yosuke yelled back playfully, "Don't call me jiji! Do I look like an old man to you?!"

Seta murmured something to the side teasingly as he flipped his book by another page. "At least, Yu-jiisan's grey hair is naturally that way…"

With a gasp at that, Yosuke grabbed for a mirror that was helpfully handed by one of his amused workers before checking his hair. "What?! Since when have I had grey hair?!"

"Yosuke, your hair is still brown, I assure you." Yu said calmly while pinching at the bridge of his nose at his two mischievous nephews. "Kids, don't play with your Yosuke-jiji's heart. You both know how easy it is for him to be fooled…"

"Partner, are you with me or against me?"

At that statement, all of them laughed, even the other workers in the room snickering at their boss being the butt of the playful jokes again. Yu even found himself forming a full-blown grin, being entirely happy and at peace with himself. He had close friends, a wonderful job, a family with Dojima, Nanako, and the rest of the I.T. gang and even the young twins. Nothing could ever make him happier now.

Which meant that starting then, things could only fall apart.

His phone rang with the arrival of a new message, the smile on his lips immediately falling away when he read the text that was sent to him by one of his close friends. He hadn't known then, that it was the herald of the end, the beginning of how his wonderful world started to rip into pieces. However, that didn't stop the burning dread that formed in his stomach, bile reaching into his throat as he mouthed the message in an attempt to decipher something _happier_ from it.

_"Teddie's gone missing Sempai! I've looked everywhere, called his cell, and done everything I could, and I can't still find him! Sempai, I don't know what to do! – Rise"_

With a flash of black and the sound of shattering glass, the world around him broke apart, the voices of his friends and coworkers going away as he was torn from his wonderful dream and thrown into a nightmare. Everything fell into black, flashes of red and purple searing into his eyes, and nothing could be compared to the noise that entered his mind.

Yells and screams rang in his head, some of it his, and _worse_, some of it from his friends and family – over and over, without ending, stuck in a loop and he knew it was a dream, a nightmare, and he had to _wakeupwakeupwakeupwakeupwakeup-_

_Wake up!_

And with a snap, Sawada Tsunayoshi opened his eyes as they filled with tears back in his bed. Immediately, he wiped them away, trying to clear his mind and calm himself down to be able to meet his mother at breakfast without breaking down all over again. He didn't want her to worry, especially when it entirely wasn't her fault but his that he was crying.

"Memories and dreams, tragedies and nightmares…" He murmured; voice croaky as both of his selves wept for the past. "How I sometimes wish that I never remembered."

But then again, when he finally managed to leave his bed, he knew that in the end, it was better that he knew of his past friends than never knowing them at all.

* * *

Students of Namimori Gakuen found themselves witnesses to something they had never expected.

It was a slow process, willfully slowed down by Tsuna himself, but it was indubitable that he was indeed improving on his exams. Slowly but surely, the previous 40s rose from 50s to 60s, increasing and increasing until they were all constantly on the 90s. What was previously impossibility: a perfect score, became a rare instance and becoming more and more frequent as more days passed.

And watching it all, Nezu Donachiro gritted his teeth whenever he handed over the latest top-scoring paper on Tsuna's desk.

He had been very vocal in the past that the teen would never get anywhere, and as Tsuna ascended over his previous grades, the value of Nezu's words over the faculty fell as they started to question the merit of his statements. If he was wrong, completely and utterly wrong about what he said about one of his students, what could assure them that he wasn't wrong over someone else?

It would be the possible reason for a background check on him, and they would find out about his shameful secret…

He had to find some way to kick down Dame-Tsuna from his newfound pedestal.

"Brats, shut your traps!" He shouted to silence the disrespectful bastards that he had the misfortune to be his students the moment he entered the room. With a patronizing tone he then continued, "Alright, since you brats seem to be improving on your averages," This he said with a glance at the brunet's direction, easily pointing him out as the reason, "I will be changing the curriculum."

Before they could even express their surprise, he continued, "Nothing too elite that idiots like most of you could not ever hope to understand, only a simple project for everyone in the class. In pairs, and I already decided the groupings yesterday, so thank me for that!"

Simultaneous groans were the response, but Nezu held back the urge to yell at them in order to get his plan over with.

"It's only a bunch of problem sets I've prepared for you, and surely the difficulty would be _just enough _for everyone!" He said, inwardly cackling in anticipation of his plan. Oh, it _would_ be just enough… "I'm handing out the forms now, and when I call for your names, come up and take these sheets with your partner."

"Sawada Tsunayoshi!" He immediately announced, causing everyone to turn silent. When the brunet walked up to him to take the sheets, he then called out the next name. "_Yamamoto Takeshi!_"

With sleepy yelp, the baseball idol immediately stood, a yawn falling from his lips. Nezu had to hold back a smile – the boy was another of the brats he utterly despised, one that thought that sport talents was all he needed to survive in the world. Yet, that was exactly what he needed – a boy without the capability to survive through the slew of questions he had specially prepared to knock him down, and with him, Sawada Tsunayoshi.

Yes, a smile had to be forced away from his lips as he continued to list the student pairings long after he had held out Yamamoto Takeshi's copy.

"Alright, listen up." Nezu made sure to say things as clearly as he could, no doubt damning to the ears of a certain brunet. "These questions _aren't_ the project. They're just the practice, dummy tests if you will, just for the sake of ensuring you brats would pass. No, they're there just for one thing."

"You have to be capable of teaching and answering those questions by the end of the week, where I would be handing out one-on-one exams for everyone. The average score of the pairs would be your grades then. Listen to me you brats," he said this as seriously as he could. "That exam would be the new majority of your grade – so if you fail, don't come crying to me!"

And that was what he had planned. Even with Dame-Tsuna's sudden ability in answering his questions, there was no way he would be able to teach Dumb-Yamamoto those answers. And when their score ultimately fails, not only would he be knocked down from his arrogance, he would also be disgraced in the school for allowing the baseball idol to fail. That way, Nezu would regain his reputation, and his revenge.

There was no way his plan would fail. He could almost laugh at his ingenuity sometimes.

* * *

Tsuna already saw through the Math teacher's plan before he even announced the rules of the project.

It was easy to see just how Nezu Donachiro detested him, of how a sort of desperation entered his features whenever he held out Tsuna's latest exam. He wouldn't say that he completely understood his reasons, only that he knew the teacher was plotting something to pull him back down. Honestly, Tsuna wasn't worried – he wasn't going to let anything stop him from his goals, his teacher or not.

But when he dragged someone else into the problem, Tsuna became serious.

His last life as Narukami Yu was the cause for his reaction, he knew. As a teenager, the leader of the Investigation Team always cared for others, even to those who were not his friends, and he carried that virtue throughout the rest of his life and into his next one. And so, when Yamamoto Takeshi, a stranger, was pulled into this dilemma because of him, a mix of anger and responsibility became his reason to do nothing but his best in this problem.

Even that though seemed small when he was met with the first smile he had from the baseball idol.

"Haha!" It was _empty_, a mockery of the emotion that was supposed to be carried by the gesture. "So we're going to be teammates in this, huh? Nice to be with you, Sawada!"

Tsuna had to hold back a grimace as he shook the hand that was offered. "Tsuna's fine. So, can I call you Yamamoto?"

"Hm? Yeah, that would be alright!" Yamamoto replied with a cheerful tone that was so _faked_, and the image of Yu in Tsuna could only wince at the comparison between the idol and his former best friend from another life. "So… where would we meet up to answer these questions?"

He waved at the sheets in their hands. Yamamoto comically winced. "I-I'm not the kind of person who could actually answer this. Sorry about that."

Tsuna shook his head at the apology. There was no need to.

He had already looked into them, and he wasn't surprised at what they contained. Rather, he was resigned, but still angered, by the fact that their teacher had the gall to hand over to them problem sets that held problems that were college-level – years above of what they were supposed to answer. Of course, as Narukami Yu, he could answer them anytime without any problem, but the same could not be told about Sawada Tsunayoshi or even Yamamoto Takeshi.

They were just not supposed to be having this sort of questions yet, but there they were, taunting as they were no doubt prepared with just that in mind.

"I think I could convince my Kaa-san to let us study back at home." Which was actually more difficult than what it seemed, with her being rather protective of Tsuna at every turn. "I can answer them, and I think I can teach it to you just in time for the exam. Is that fine with you, Yamamoto-kun?"

"That'll be alright, Tsuna!" Yamamoto replied cheerfully – that is, if Tsuna hadn't noticed the minute details of slight disbelief in his tone. "So, later this afternoon?"

"Yeah, later this afternoon." He nodded, his thoughts running quickly in his mind the moment Yamamoto stood to return to his seat in anticipation for the next class.

Narukami Yu always helped his friends. But it was not always that they were his friends – all of them used to be strangers, people he didn't know, but he had still helped them through their problems even though he wasn't close to them. No, it wasn't that he had helped his friends – he had gained his friends by helping them before they even knew each other beyond introductions. And to Sawada Tsunayoshi, Yamamoto Takeshi was just a stranger, a stranger with a problem that he still didn't know.

And nobody could ever say that they could never become friends like Yu did with his friends back in his past life.

* * *

Dame-Tsuna.

Like many others, he had known that nickname and knew the brunet who was unfortunately christened with the title. And while he was never part of the group that had teased said brunet, it was still true that like hundreds of others, he had simply turned a blind eye to things he knew weren't right – all because it wasn't his problem.

That's why when it came to the subject of Sawada Tsunayoshi, Yamamoto always felt a bit of guilt for not being there for him when he needed the presence of a friend. Yet, while he had felt guilty, nothing had come out of it – after all, since the day Sawada returned to the class with a new kind of air and _different_ eyes, he never seemed to ever need the help of anyone, slowly getting better out of his own efforts.

Instead, a sense of envy even formed at the back of his mind. Sawada used to be unpopular – yet now, with a manner that never betrayed any kind of finding any difficulty, he was slowly rising up the social ladder with his new serious demeanor. Girls even started turning their heads at his direction, their blushes over his _mysteriousness_ going unnoticed or ignored as he kept on improving.

It wasn't just his aura or his grades that became better though. It was baffling, but out of nowhere, people started to realize that the brunet started to form a sort of charisma, a _force_ that always made anyone he spoke to listen with all of their attention, his words eloquent and carefully chosen whenever they left his lips.

Yamamoto could only watch it all with dark thoughts in his mind.

And it was those dark thoughts that were banished when he had first stepped into the brunet's room for the first time in the Sawada home.

It was not the first time that Yamamoto was invited to another classmate's house. In fact, it had happened to him already dozens of times, with him being either the invitee or inviter. It was that experience that had let him recognize several details in Tsuna's room that anyone else would not have noticed.

People leave marks wherever they go, whether it was a small scribble on the wall or an accessory or tabletop decoration they had left behind as a gift. Tsuna's room was utterly void of that, completely simple and without any sort of identity that ever told of the person that slept in it. Except for the cranes – in all the colors of the rainbow, the neat origami tied up into bunches and hung around beside the windows with nothing else beside them.

_Fold a thousand cranes, and a wish would come true._

There were more than three thousand of them. What kind of wish did he have that he wanted to come true?

"Ah, Yamamoto-kun. You're the first one I ever invited here in my room."

A smile was already on his lips without his bidding when he faced Tsuna. "Yeah, I kinda got that when Nana-san sent that look at me."

Yamamoto never thought a frying pan could feel like a possible cause of his death before he met the Sawada matriarch. And it wasn't even a quarter of a second before she turned away. She was _that_ scary.

"Sorry about that." Tsuna murmured, a hand going to the back of his neck with a sense of embarrassment that Yamamoto never expected to see from him. At least, after the _incident_. "She can be quite protective."

"Don't worry!" Yamamoto found himself replying back, a bit more sincere. "I don't have a mom of my own, so…"

He then winced. He had not planned on mentioning that, especially with someone he barely even knew. But Tsuna didn't act as he had expected – instead of a pitying look, he was beholden with a glance of understanding before the brunet turned away to take out their sheets from his bag. A moment of silence, long enough that Yamamoto almost though that he wouldn't reply, before Tsuna's voice filled the air again.

"Well, I don't have my dad too, so we are even there."

Yamamoto couldn't hold back the frown from his features this time. He had grown to accept the lack of his mother in his life, with her having passed away, but the thought of his dad being gone as well… it was not a comforting thought. However, he kept silent and waited for the brunet to take out their books. It wasn't right for him to talk about those matters.

"Okay, Yamamoto-kun," Tsuna murmured as he also took out his own notes. "At what part are you sure you can answer the questions properly?"

He couldn't hold back a sheepish chuckle as he glanced at the questions. No, not one bit. He told the other person that, and again unlike his expectations, Tsuna's reply was nothing more than a flash of amusement that passed in his eyes – a kind that held no sort of judgment, only something that could come from experience of being at the same level. Which, given his history, was actually quite true.

"Let me help you with them then." The brunet nodded. He then reshuffled his notes with practiced ease, taking out some paper and a pen. "Tell me if you don't understand what I'm saying, okay?"

Just like that, Tsuna started teaching him. And Yamamoto only found himself nodding, thinking, and even _smiling_ as he listened – the brunet was actually a very good tutor, and he was also very patient no matter what stupid mistake Yamamoto sometimes made. Quite honestly, he was even better at teaching the subject than their teacher Nezu, and time after time he would give praise when Yamamoto finally got that difficult part right, but still rare enough for the words to mean something.

"Aha, so the trick to limits is just substituting the variables with the right numbers, while having them a bit more or less than the result?"

Tsuna smiled. "Yes, but there are a lot of other cases where you have to do something different, but we're still going over that. You see, if both the numerator and denominator reaches zero…"

With just those words, he already was entranced with the explanations, somehow understanding concepts that just a few hours ago sounded like alien gibberish to him. And it was Math, just the subject where he found himself unable to rely on just talent.

"You know, Tsuna," Yamamoto couldn't hold back the real smile this time, "why don't you tutor more often? You're really good at this!"

The light in the brunet's eyes faded away at the question. Yamamoto felt his heart clench. "…It's because people don't talk to me often. They just give me strange looks whenever I try."

A cross between regret and anger flashed in Yamamoto's mind. He murmured, "They don't know just what they're missing then, Tsuna."

And when Tsuna's eyes lit up again at those words, he found himself grinning truthfully for the first time in months.

* * *

"Tsu-kun's changed, you know."

Those were the first words Yamamoto had first heard from the Sawada matriarch, spoken the moment he went down the stairs to take a glass of water to drink for the both of them upstairs. And they were said hoarsely, as if she had been crying before he came down.

"Nana-san…"

She then turned to him with surprising anger. "Why is it that they had to hurt my boy? Why didn't they have enough with shutting him out from everyone, why didn't the teachers do anything!?"

Her words rang deep into Yamamoto's head, voicing thoughts that he had consciously blocked before he had finally met Tsuna for real. Why indeed, would people hurt someone like Tsuna? Why indeed, did he not do anything during the times he saw it happen? Why indeed, that during that day when he found Tsuna being pulled by those guys into the direction of the river, did Yamamoto turned a blind eye?

"I'm sorry, Nana-san." Was all he could say, but it felt empty even for him. "I… don't know myself."

Her eyes softened. "You too then?" She then turned back to the flowers that she had been tending – asphodel, one of the few flowers he could recognize on sight, due to his dad often buying them whenever they visited his mom. "I'm sorry; I don't know what came over me."

"If it means anything," Yamamoto found himself promising, "I'm not planning on leaving him alone after this."

"Really?"

He nodded, already keeping his words to heart. "I can be there for him, to be his friend. And I promise to protect him too, from anyone who would ever want to harm him."

A smile slowly formed on Nana's face, and minutes later, she was already handing over a small tray of snacks and drinks over his hands.

"Thank you," she said with all of her heart, her eyes shining again with traces of tears that she was visibly holding back. "Well, you can't keep Tsu-kun waiting for too long, now could you? Don't forget to call me if you boys get hungry for more."

Yamamoto was about to reenter Tsuna's room when she shouted. "And call me Maman!"

He couldn't hold back the wistful look on his face when Tsuna opened the door for him, not looking in the slightest bit annoyed. The last time he said that kind of nickname was more than seven years ago.

* * *

Those afternoon tutor sessions continued for the four days they had before the exam was given. Nezu was unsurprisingly shocked when both of them passed with flying colors, and while for a moment Tsuna worried that that would be the end of it all, somehow it wasn't.

Yamamoto kept on visiting his house and walking with him everyday since then.

His friends noticed this, and had pointed it out, worried that Tsuna was somehow at fault for it all.

"No, not at all!" Yamamoto quickly replied, loudly with a smile. It wasn't nice at all. "Tsuna's great to hang out with!"

Nobody dared question their friendship afterwards.

However, it didn't stop Tsuna from stopping in the middle of their walks one day, promptly interrupting Yamamoto from gesturing about something or the other.

With a small frown, the brunet asked, "Hey, Yamamoto-kun. Am I being a burden on you?"

The smile on the baseball idol's face dropped. "What do you mean by that Tsuna?" _Did someone tell something to you?_ went unsaid.

"I know how your friends in the Baseball Club are treating you now." Tsuna murmured, his face turning to the other way as not to show his expression. Even as Narukami Yu, this situation had never happened to him before. "When they talk to you, and you mention me, they send you these stares like… like they couldn't believe what you were doing. And you never smile around them anymore – not truly at least."

Yamamoto waited for a few seconds before an understanding look formed on his face. "Hey, Tsuna. Call me Takeshi."

The brunet blinked at the blatant change of subject. "Excuse me?"

"You know," Yamamoto folded his arms to the back of his head, leaning on them as he looked upwards. He then continued walking, forcing Tsuna to come along. "Even in the baseball club, they never call me 'Takeshi'. It's always Yamamoto this, Yamamoto that. I never liked that; Yamamoto is my old man."

"Why me then… Takeshi?"

The baseball idol swung around, looking at Tsuna with a bright expression on his face and his arms spread out. "Well of course, it's because unlike them, you are my friend!"

Just like that Tsuna understood, finally understanding the subject that even with all the wisdom, understanding, and experience of Yu he had failed to realize. He smiled inwardly. Maybe, 'Sawada Tsunayoshi' had influenced 'Narukami Yu' after all, not just vice-versa.

And with such trust, maybe he could give something more, a bit more effort to know his friend in return?

"Hey, Y- Takeshi, if I could somehow get Kaa-san give me permission, would you think your dad would let me visit your house?"

Takeshi's expression only became wider. "Maybe if you buy something. We _do_ live in a sushi shop after all."

"…Maybe?"

That prompted a laugh from the two of them, and Takeshi pulled Tsuna in an arm-hug before saying that it was all a joke. Of course Tsuna would be welcome!

* * *

Ever since then, in two households, they were changes in room scenery.

In a certain baseball enthusiast's home, out of place with everything else in the room, there were dozens of folded paper cranes decorating all corners, from all colors of the rainbow. If a person asked the owners of the house what they were for, they would laugh, and then admit it was all for a wish. A wish to have real friends.

And in the house of a brunet, in a room at the second floor of the house, if one looked carefully he would notice that there were now stickers stuck on the walls. They were small pictures, showing two teens smiling as they ate ice cream together. Other times, they were collectibles depicting famous baseball stars, with doodles drawn on them. They said: "Yamamoto Takeshi was here, together with Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Ever since then, Yu's nightmares became less frequent.

* * *

**AN: I hate not having a clear-cut outline. Oh god, why did I not make an outline before I wrote down this story? Wait, oh right, I started this story literally five-minutes after the inspiration hit. That, compared to TBaC and BoUn which both took a _month_ to prepare for, is admittedly a stupid move on my part.**

**This chapter is a lot less than I expected – supposedly 7 to 9K – and that is after I edited it dozens of times. I can't seem to write things properly with Yamamoto – he's a lot more complicated to write than I thought. I actually pulled out several scenes that felt out of place, around 6K worth of paragraphs, like the ones depicting their conversations about their parents and Tsuna meeting Tsuyoshi. Can't seem to also fit in Social Link-worthy scenes. Gee, I wonder why?**

**Oh, who am I kidding – how can Tsuna/Yu help anyone when he's the one who needs help the most?**

**Please, anyone, I ask for help. How the hell am I going to make this easier to write?**

**Edit: Not to worry though – those conversations I said I pulled out? They would be back, just on the backburner. And if Yamamoto had a Social Link, it would actually just around Rank 2 for now. Enough to be called a friend, but not enough to be _that_ close. Also, still undecided whether there _will_ be Social Links.**

**Next chapter: Rain Continues, Lightning Strikes**

**"**_Enlightenment. Definition: the thing you get and subsequently lose when you take a shower."_

\- _ReaderDreamer5625_


	4. Rain Continues, Lightning Strikes

**AN: A bit of humor this time. Everyone knows just how much this fic needs it.**

**Disclaimer: _I don't own either fandoms._**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Rain Continues, Lightning Strikes**

* * *

Sssshhhkk! Sssshhhkk!

Tsuyoshi raised his favored chef's knife from the oilstone, as long as a man's arm and just as capable of cutting it off. The light refracted easily at its edge, a blue gleam streaming through its surface. Little did most men know about its history, but it still kept its terrifying presence to whoever saw it.

"I'm sorry, Nana-san. But this is for my Takeshi – I can't allow your existence here."

Squeak! Squeak!

Nana in return, took up her frying pan from her drying cloth, an unnatural shimmer surrounding it like a fellow samurai's sword. It was only made and sold in a hardware store just like any other frying pan, but somehow it kept up with the very sharp knife in terms of projecting killing intent.

"My, my now, Tsuyoshi-san." She gave an eerie smile. "We can't have that now, could we? This is for my Tsu-kun too."

Suddenly their presences magnified, a small wind picking up around them. In the same time, both of them fixed their stances, jumped, and-

""Begin!""

-started the cooking competition.

Tsuna sighed at the side. How did things come to this?

* * *

_A few hours ago:_

If there was a way to always band people together, it was when they all had a common enemy.

Nezu made a terrible mistake in his plan – in hindsight, giving a college-level exam to an entire class of middle-school students just attracted trouble. Not only did his target, Sawada Tsunayoshi, managed to defy expectations and somehow taught Yamamoto Takeshi college-level math in just four days, outside the two of them, most people failed in the exam.

Most people, which meant a person could count those who _passed_ with one hand and have fingers left over.

Of course with such a stark contrast between the rest of the class and the two who managed to get flying colors, soon enough, under the cheerful encouragement by one Yamamoto Takeshi, lunch periods turned into impromptu tutoring classes by Sawada Tsunayoshi.

By the fifth class, people were asking why the brunet _wasn't_ their Math teacher.

By the eight, a rally was already raised against Nezu Donachiro after everybody realized what he had just done.

By the ninth, the classroom was filled with curious students from different classes, wanting to know just who this "Mr. Charisma" was, and a certain math teacher was replaced by someone else hired from a _real_ high-end University.

These tutoring classes would soon be moved to late afternoons, and with the subjects branching out to Biology, Physics, and Social Sciences, but it would be far later.

For now, instead of the old intolerable pretentious Nezu, a new man became their math teacher.

Miura-sensei was a light-hearted soul – easygoing, kind, and cheerful while being very good at his job. It was rightly so, as if it were any other man, there wouldn't have been any more students attending the Math classes, as they would've instead attended Tsuna's tutoring sessions.

Thankfully, due to this appropriate choice of a new teacher, Tsuna didn't have to worry about juggling so many Math students. The fact that Miura-sensei was kind also made it quite easier to like him. And he wasn't alone in that –compared to Nezu, anybody can be called a saint. When a saint-like man like Miura-sensei became the teacher of a very un-saintly subject like Math, it led him to become popular. Very quickly.

And when Takeshi had the idea of celebrating the departure of Nezu-sensei – being the leader of the entire deposing movement – he decided to hold it at his house, where his dad could treat them all to sushi. All of the class, including their teacher.

It was, unfortunately, held in the day when Sawada Nana came to the Take-Sushi for the first time.

* * *

Yamamoto Tsuyoshi was like his son. Very much so.

Cheerful on the outside, and the inside, but with a depth that Tsuna recognized the moment he gazed upon the older man. It, coupled with the years of experience the older man had, made him slightly wary when he and Tsuyoshi exchanged analyzing glances. For a moment, both of them were surprised by what they saw, before exchanging nods.

For some reason, both of them felt that there was a need to show respect to a fellow former swordsman. Even more surprising for Tsuyoshi who knew just who the brunet was and his history. Out of that respect, both of them didn't ask any questions to the other, and thanks to that, there were no problems between them whenever Tsuna came along with Takeshi.

That didn't stop Tsuna from noticing the older man sending glances his way whenever he thought (or expected) the brunet to be unaware.

Other than that small bump on the road, their conversations were always genial, and many were the times that Tsuna smiled because the older man had prepared a specially-made sushi bento set for him to take home.

Which meant that Nana became very interested in the Take-Sushi shop. Not only that her son had started visiting it every other day, the bundles of sushi that Tsuna brought along with him home made her have quite the competition as to whose food was eaten that night. Nana's food, motherly and tasteful, or Tsuyoshi's sushi, fresh and delicious?

Without knowing it, that small supposedly unimportant factor started a small rivalry between the two parents, and the moment Nana arrived at the Take-Sushi… it did not end well.

"Ara~ So you are Tsuyoshi-san, I presume?" Nana smiled, the expression tinged with quite the amount of tension. Tsuna's classmates (and teacher) took a step back at the sight. Takeshi, a little more experienced at that, took five. "It's nice to meet you… Your sushi bento was nice, very nice…"

"Ah, so you are Nana-san!" Tsuyoshi gave out a hand to shake, and those observant would've noticed him sweating a bit. "It's nice to meet the mother of young Tsunayoshi-kun!"

A small vein popped in the brunette mother's head. Many gulped.

Miura-sensei took that moment to nudge the younger Sawada. "May I ask, what is your mother doing here?"

"I don't know Sensei." Tsuna looked a little cowed himself. Formerly being Yu or not, his mother was terrifying when she wanted to be. "I don't even know why she is like this now… oh."

The teacher was about to ask what that 'oh' meant when he turned back at the two parents to see… Nana throwing her oven mitts at Tsuyoshi's face?

"Only I can cook lunch for Tsu-kun!" The enraged mother scowled. "I challenge you for a cooking competition!"

The moment the mitts fell, so did Tsuyoshi's expression. Slowly, he knelt down to pick up the pink pair of protective wear. "I promised Takeshi… very well, I'll take on that challenge."

Immediately, both of their eyes zeroed in at the very unnerved group of students and teacher, including Tsuna and Takeshi themselves.

"They'll agree to be our judges, wouldn't they?"

"Of course they would. Now where's the kitchen around here?"

It was a very strange first impression for all of those not in the know, Tsuna admitted the moment they entered the Take-Sushi.

* * *

Miura Haru was confused.

She, along with her mom, had been wondering what kept her dad late outside for so long. A short conversation through text messages later, they had been told that he was at a party held by his students, and was unable to leave without seeming ungrateful.

He then said that they were allowed to join – he even sounded a little desperate about it too – but since only Haru could spare the night, she alone arrived in the Take-Sushi her dad had told her to go to.

When she had arrived, cheer and chanting were the first thing she had heard. From more than a block away even.

"Go, go, go, Yamamoto's dad! Beat Tsuna's mom!"

"Hell no, boys! Nana-san, show them who's boss around the kitchen!"

Her dad met Haru at the door, looking a little ragged and not just a bit well-fed. A smile was on his lips though, fresher than what he usually wore even on happy occasions like this.

"Haru, your mom told me you would come. It's good you're here – we need the people for it."

That made her confusion worse. She tried to reply, her voice a little louder to be heard over the noise. "Hahi? Tou-san, what are you talking about? And why is everyone so loud so late at night?"

Her dad just let her inside for her to see, and what she did took her breath away.

Dishes, filled with all kinds of seafood, were all around on every surface. From what seemed to be sushi placed next to the tempura, beside it some kind of dish that involved fried fish, and then there were the clam soups, the sweet-and-sour shrimp, the filleted squid, the well-spiced octopus, the red lobster, a full bowl of caviar…

And right in between the full feast of the sea, were two hurricanes. Or at least, people cooking so fast that nobody could even see their hands anymore.

"Tsunayoshi-kun," her dad placed a hand on the shoulder of one of the students, "Do you need more people?"

"Yes, Miura-sensei." The brunet replied, turning to him, allowing Haru to take a look at his face.

Was it her, or were his eyes silver-orange?

"Haru! Do you want to eat?"

"Hahi!" She jumped, a little too focused on the other teen's eyes before she was snapped out of it by her dad. "Yes, Tou-san! Haru would like to eat very much!"

She then slapped a hand on her mouth, turning away a little red. She just had to embarrass herself, didn't she?

Tsunayoshi-san sent her a polite smile, and butterflies fluttered in her stomach. "Thank you for that. Kaa-san and Tsuyoshi-san have been knocking out eaters left and right. Haru-san, if it's not impolite, may I ask: are you sure you want to eat until you're full?"

Her dad answered for her. "Haru can eat three times more than I could, and without the extra pounds."

"Tou-san!" She yelled at him, feeling a little betrayed. So this was the reason why he called her here? For her to publically stuff herself out, just because his other students were all unconscious on the ground?

She then took another gaze at the literal feast in front of her, and sighed.

Maybe just two or three servings would be fine, right?

* * *

It wasn't just 'two or three servings'.

Haru, bloated, only woke up on the floor of the Take-Sushi the next morning to meet face to face with the same brunet she had met yesterday. An apologetic smile was on Tsunayoshi-san's face as he held out a glass of water and a single antacid pill, and looking around revealed that more people, like her, were only just waking up tired but satisfied.

She couldn't help but curl into a ball of shame minutes later though.

"Ah, Miura-san, are you alright?" He asked, the moment he managed to pull away from who seemed to be the son of the Take-Sushi's owner.

Haru sighed. "Haru ate too much… I won't be able to have Haru Appreciation Day this month…"

The brunet tilted his head. "Haru Appreciation Day?"

She immediately cheered up at that. "Yes! That's Haru's day for enjoying cakes!"

Then she settled back to sadness. "But unless I want to get heavier, I won't be celebrating it this month." She shook her head. "Anyways, Tsunayoshi-san!"

He had a strange look on his face, before he settled into something between remembrance and sadness. "Yes, what is it, Miura-san?"

"That's what Haru means!" Haru persisted. "Miura's my tou-san's name, and since you know Haru's tou-san, you can call Haru Haru!"

Tsunayoshi-san looked a bit flummoxed at her odd way of speech, but then took it to stride. A small smile lifted his face before he replied, "Only if you call me Tsuna."

That was the both of them met properly for the first time.

* * *

Tsuna somehow felt an odd smile on his face when he waved away Haru the moment she recovered enough to leave. The girl was really something – and it helped that she had plenty of similarities from Yu's female friends.

Cheery like Rise. A bit brash, but well-meaning like Chie. And while he didn't know her enough to compare her with either Naoto or Yukiko, he expected he would see more similarities soon enough.

But it didn't mean that he was just going to start comparing her to his former friends from another life. Tsuna had more respect for her as a person than that. But oddly enough, the strange similarity was enough to make him easily open up to the girl.

Now then, he turned to walk back into the kitchen, closing the door behind him as the Take-Sushi was finally devoid of people out of those he wanted inside. He had _plenty_ of things to say.

Sawada Nana and Yamamoto Tsuyoshi were sitting bare seiza on the cold wood floor as penance for yesterday's fiasco.

"But Tsu-kun…"

How ironic that it was him scolding his mother instead of vice-versa. "Kaa-san, Tsuyoshi-san, do you know what you did to the school's class schedule for today?"

Tsuyoshi-san somehow seemed sheepishly unsettled by the situation. He was really his son's father. "Errr… It went on as normal?"

"Given that both Yamamoto and I are still here, obviously it is not so." Tsuna couldn't help but deadpan. "Last night's 'party' ended up inviting most of the school staff and a large part of its students, all of them waking up too much out of it to be able to pull themselves together for today. I don't know how we did it without alcohol, but everyone woke up with headaches."

It was funny, he mused, that he was really treating the two adults in his life like they were the kids. Though, considering the combined ages of Sawada Tsunayoshi and Narukami Yu, he _could_ say that at least mentally he was older than the both of them.

Kaa-san had a strange expression on her face before it smoothed into a smile, if a little wistful. "Well, Tsu-kun, who won the competition in the end? You were the only one left awake to judge the both of us after all."

Tsuna sighed. "Do I really have to make a decision on that?"

Tsuyoshi-san had the same look on his face as his mother. "Of course, Tsunayoshi-kun! The entire competition was held for your sake after all!"

"Very well." He pinched at the bridge of his nose before rattling off his observations for last night. "Kaa-san had the most amount of high quality dishes served – no surprise there, as she has more experience in a wider menu."

Before one of them could _gloat_ at the other, he continued, "_But_, Tsuyoshi-san had the best dishes ever served, all because as a sushi chef, he was more used to preparing the seafood more than Kaa-san ever could. My judgment is…"

"Tsuna!" Takeshi suddenly appeared, causing the three of them to jump a little. They hadn't noticed his coming. "Lunch is prepared!"

"Lunch?" Tsuyoshi asked, a bit surprised. "I never knew you could cook, Takeshi. And isn't it supposed to be breakfast?"

Tsuna dryly pointed a finger at the forgotten wall clock. "Everyone overslept, including the both of you. It's past twelve."

"Except for Tsuna of course!" The baseball enthusiast added. "And I didn't cook – he did! All I did was fix the table and wash the dishes."

For one, the both of them looked even more off putted by that admission. The two parents traded glances before simultaneously stepping out of the kitchen in what could be barely called walking. Tsuna sighed at that, resigned and slightly happy that the decision on the competition would be delayed.

In fact… "Takeshi, you did that on purpose, didn't you?"

Takeshi only looked sheepish. "Hehe, how did you know?"

"Call it intuition."

When they arrived at the table though, Sawada Nana was weeping tears of joy that 'her son had somehow surpassed her' with Tsuyoshi looking a little baffled while he hurriedly ate as much as he could. Soon enough, instead of bothering him to choose who was better between them, they were drilling him for the 'secrets of the trade'.

He didn't know what was worse really. But by the end of the day, the odd smile on his face had never dropped even once.

* * *

"Hey, Takeshi. Would you mind it if I try out for Kendo instead of baseball?"

Tsuna was lying on the school roof with Takeshi when he suddenly posed the question to his best friend. These were the more peaceful places in Namimori for him now – somehow, he had built a small group of admirers without knowing it, and due to one Hibari Kyoya (who was suspiciously absent for weeks now) only a few ever dared using the place.

"Ehhh?" Takeshi sniped back playfully. "But Tsuna~ You have amazing potential to be in my club, you know!"

Really, it had happened only once, and that was it before Tsuna decided to never attempt baseball again. But Takeshi still didn't let go of the fact that he somehow embedded a _homerun ball_ several inches deep into the cement of one of the school's walls. Even though on the same wall, dozens of Takeshi's own marks could still be seen.

To put it plainly, he judged that it would be simply be unfair for any sports club to have more than _one_ person who could excel like that. Since the Baseball Club already had Takeshi, it was only logical to decide on something else. This, he had explained to Takeshi. Repeatedly.

He had a feeling it would never stick.

"Like I told you Takeshi, it would simply be unfair." And fairness was a virtue he still planned on keeping throughout this life, ever since he had woken up with Yu's memories. "I honestly would have tried the Boxing Club next, but they already have Sasagawa-senpai and I'm well aware of his capabilities too. Only the Kendo and Swimming Club are left, and…"

_I don't want to stay in the water longer than I have to, _went unsaid. It was irrational, he knew, and he was well aware than like everything else, he would probably be able to swim better than most. It was a simple fact about Yu, and it seemed to have carried to 'Dame-Tsuna' now. But still, he had formed a slight apprehension for dipping himself in water for too long.

"You can try out Kendo at our home, you know!" Takeshi thankfully let the subject go without being spoken. "We have an entire dojo and everything."

"But I want to socialize more now, Takeshi." He said, trying not to notice how Takeshi stiffened at the statement. "Not that I don't like hanging out with you – just that…" _somehow this isn't enough._

He was selfish in that way, Tsuna admitted to himself. Most were already alright with a few close friends, but he wanted more. He wanted to help and to have more friends. Even before all of this happened, even before the accident, this was in a way Tsuna's own wish – to have friends. And Yu's memories both helped and didn't help because-

_Could I really compare to 'Yu'? He is 'me', and 'I' am him, but can Sawada Tsunayoshi really compare to his past 'self'?_

Irrational again, he knew. But nevertheless, he couldn't help but think that way. And he really felt that out there, there were more people he was supposed to meet. He had a feeling that some of them were close, in this school. All he had to do was to look for them.

_-the Fool is never alone-_

He shook his head. He wasn't the Fool now; he was the World.

Takeshi, who had been silent with him for a while now, finally spoke. "Alright, Tsuna. I won't judge you for it if you choose to join any other clubs. And my dad's been telling me that he had a feeling you would be great at Kendo anyway."

"Thanks, Takeshi." Tsuna replied earnestly before leaning back to his rest. Honestly, it was rather tiring to hold tutor sessions daily. "Really, I mean it."

* * *

From his vantage point on the roof, a certain bloodthirsty prefect smiled.

He had just returned from his self-imposed quest to hunt down the _herbivores_ who dared putting down those weaker than them, only to find that the weak little animal he had left had somehow grown into a lion while he was gone. Placing a hand over his new pair of tonfas – the previous ones broke apart from liberal overuse over the past few weeks – and felt that they would find use soon.

If he had his way – and he always did, being the carnivore – then Sawada Tsunayoshi wouldn't have to even enter the Kendo Club to become stronger.

The former captain of that club was only a weakling anyway, he thought dissatisfiedly as he jumped off the roof to land at the nearby running field and return to his long-awaiting patrols. All that herbivore could do was order his cronies to almost drown a certain weak little animal in the river.

His grip tightened at the memory of his besmirched honor as the protector of Namimori. If he had his way – and he would never let it be otherwise – nobody else would get hurt under his watch.

* * *

_"Kaa-san, how did you pay for all the ingredients you two used yesterday?"_

_A pause. "Your father. If there's one thing good about him, at least he could send us as much money as we need."_

_"Kaa-san. Please-"_

_"Don't try apologizing for your father, Tsu-kun. That's final."_

Tsuna had a sad smile on his face as he walked off from his daily walk home from classes to talk to a drunk old man on the streets.

"Hey, old man. Don't just lay down there."

The man only sneered, "L'ib meee ar'one! I haaa'b a date wi' ma' beer!"

"Tou-san." Tsuna said it out plainly, causing the man's caustic act to drop immediately, along with the wig and the latex mask disguise hiding Sawada Iemitsu's face. "Why don't you try visiting home again?"

This was a situation that kept on repeating for weeks now.

Iemitsu was, in a word, looked miserable. His face was scraggly, his eyes were blood-shot and had eye-bags, and his complexion betrayed days of lack of restful sleep. And Tsuna knew it wasn't due to any amount of alcohol.

"Tsuna…" He said soberly. "Why are you visiting this worthless old man again?"

"Because you are _my_ worthless old man." Tsuna held out a hand, helping him up. "Like I said before Tou-san, there's no need to worry about me anymore. I can fend for myself now, and Takeshi's there for me too. You can focus on getting Kaa-san to forgive you instead."

"I know that now Tsuna. I've _been_ watching you for weeks, you do realize." Iemitsu admitted easily, already knowing his son was completely aware of that fact. "How did you notice that it was me this time?"

"There was no smell of alcohol coming from you, and though the beer soaking through your clothes is a good attempt, as long as it doesn't from directly from you, I would be aware that you haven't drunk anything." He replied promptly before tilting his head. "Now, don't try to distract me. Why haven't you returned home this week?"

"So my oath to stop drinking entirely had ratted me out this time, huh…" His dad murmured before shaking his head. "Tsuna. You remember how Nana reacted last time. What would make this week's attempt any better?"

Tsuna winced at the memory. "You know she would forgive you if you try enough times."

"But that's it, Tsuna. I won't learn a thing if your mother keeps forgiving me like she did all these years." Iemitsu looked at his hands, looking so lost that Tsuna couldn't help but pull him closer. "I'm afraid that if she forgives me again, I would get the nerve to leave."

"It's been months since you went to your job outside the country, Tou-san. Previously, you only lasted a week." Tsuna pointed out, believing in his father. "I would like to say that would mean something."

"Really, Tsuna?" Iemitsu turned to his son. "You believe in me?"

An image of another man, another father who had left his own daughter behind for work interposed with Iemitsu's face at that time in Tsuna's vision. Dojima-san learned in the end, and he had felt the same thing with Nanako. Who was to say Sawada Iemitsu couldn't do the same?

"Of course, Tou-san." Tsuna replied, sincerely, finally knowing how it felt to be in Nanako's place. "I believe in you."

* * *

Sawada Iemitsu felt happier on his way back to his apartment than for weeks.

While it had been happening more and more often that his son went out to talk to him – even if he hadn't even planned on it, isn't it _terrifying_ to find out your son suddenly had the capability to sniff out anybody who dared following him – this was the first time Tsuna had been straight-to-the-point supportive of him.

The first meeting was, in a word, a _disaster_. Tsuna still held contempt in his eyes, and the moment Iemitsu revealed himself as the one 'stalking' his son, he knew the brunet had lots of _words_ to say to him. Like his mother did. But when his son simply turned and walked away, acting like nothing happened in the dark alley, Iemitsu felt even more crushed.

He would've stopped doing it if he wasn't so worried. And so he did, on the next day, following Tsuna out of his home – _their_ home, that is, if it weren't for Nana kicking him out – and five minutes later, Tsuna told that baseball friend of his to go on ahead before confronting him again.

Iemitsu felt proud of his son, if not a little scared of his potential that had seemed to grow ever since _that_ happened. He had, in fact, been using Sky Flames to harmonize himself to his surroundings after all. Only a handful of those in CEDEF would've been capable of what Tsuna did.

But before he even said a word, Tsuna already murmured, the anger having already left his eyes, "I'll try to give you a chance, Tou-san."

He then left his shell-shocked father without even waiting for a reply. Then the meetings kept on happening – totally not of Iemitsu's choice, but of his son's, and recently he had been even expecting to meet his son before he even left his apartment for the 'stalking' he would do, the 'stalking' that would be abruptly stopped by his son.

Iemitsu was proud. Iemitsu was scared. Iemitsu was thankful. And damn was him to even be thankful or proud of what happened to his son, of what occurred while he was away.

_Iemitsu, _Nono said, _his flames are too strong. I'll be able to put a seal on it for now, but if he would ever go through a life-or-death situation, it would-_

Memories of his son, tubes embedded into his throat to help him breathe, his face too covered in bruises and sores that he barely recognized him. Memories of how his son, his beloved son, had to have tubes entered into his lungs to empty them of fluid, and how he had woke up with _those_ eyes and _that _smile and _that_ air, like a weathered old man in a younger body and-

_Break._

That was just what happened. Tsuna, the cute little Tuna-fish they knew, broke. Nana knew that too, that's why she was so angry at him, at herself. _Iemitsu_ broke too. The next day, he had sent a formal letter of resignation to Nono, to good old Nono, because he knew the man would understand, and why would he not understand the reason of the man who had saved his only living son?

_And murdered the other one,_ Iemitsu thought savagely, but he had no regrets on doing that.

But Nana, dear Nana, didn't want him back. After all this time, she too finally broke, and like their son grew into a strong woman that was unafraid of telling him just what she felt for his leaving her all those years.

_"Why are you here." The smile was gone, leaving behind a blank mask that held back a storm of anger, regret and deprecation. "How could you dare go back, only after it was too late?"_

_"My dear, I'm sorry-"_

_"Don't call me 'dear'!" She snarled back before visibly calming herself down. "What is it now? What flowers of apology would you bring? What pain would you leave again for the two of us here, while you dare gallivant out there?"_

_She turned away. "Leave. If it weren't for Tsu-kun, I would not even be talking to you, so make sure to talk to him as well."_

_A note of apology entered her voice. "After all, I'm just as guilty as you are."_

Iemitsu sighed, looking around again at the _empty_ apartment, completely devoid of company and of family.

He had rightfully deserved it. He knew that at least.

* * *

"Basil. What did I tell you about calling me?"

"Ah, Anokata-sama! I was just going to tell you-"

"Don't call me by that name anymore Basil." His voice was just tired. Not angry. "I'm no longer the leader of CEDEF."

A pause. "Very well, Iemitsu-dono."

"What is it then? If it's not important, I'm cutting the call. I don't want being part of _that_ world anymore."

Basil paused, knowing it was best to be straight to the point. "Vongola Decimo. He has decided to go to Namimori, in search of his future guardians."

The phone in Iemitsu's hands was crushed before it melted in a burst of hot, angry, orange Sky Flames.

* * *

**AN: …Sorry for the late update? And it's just 5K too! Aha?**

**But I hope you guys like this chapter anyways! (Though, I'm terrified of the high reader response this fic has. I have a really wavering timeline when it comes to writing these chapters after all.)**

**Now then, discussion: plenty of shocks in this chapter, huh? 'Lightning Strikes', after all. (Lame pun, I know) 'But where's Lambo?' you ask?**

**To those unaware, it is canon (in the games at least) that Haru's flames are Lightning. But I like to compare her to the balls of lightning, not the kind that Lambo uses, in that she is harmless. Her presence is actually why the first part is so cheerful – Genki Girl all the way. And lightning does tell of the coming storm, of the forming clouds, and of the worsening rain after all…**

**And then Iemitsu comes and drops a load of bombs into your system. Yep. Definitely planned that.**

**Next chapter would be about how this AU is different from Canon. Do leave your reviews though.**

_"Sometimes… all you have to realize is to start looking at all of your mistakes – and then laugh. Was this all that you were worrying over? Surely, by within weeks, you would've learnt from them, if not forgotten them entirely. We humans can be like that. Because you know, sometimes… all you have to do is to accept everything as they come."_

\- _ReaderDreamer5625_


	5. Greying Interlude

**AN: Introductory chapter to the AU background, in the perspective of a _very _important character. I admit, I based it on _The Deathly Hallows. _The amount of characters fit after all…**

**Disclaimer: _I don't own either fandoms._**

* * *

**Chapter 2.5: Greying Interlude**

* * *

Once upon a time there were three brothers. They had one other, but he was different – far different from the other three. He alone was incapable of one thing, and it separated him from his three brothers.

They were all princes of a secret country, the sons of a feared old man. But as feared as the old man was, even he couldn't beat time, the years that aged his body, degraded his muscles, and weakened his senses. And so, the king of the secret country decided to send his sons one by one into their journeys, deciding the one who returned would succeed him.

The oldest was the wisest. The strongest, and the most respected, every one expected him to return first, pulling along his two brothers (and one). But days, weeks, months passed – he did not return. Only when the second brother send a message back to the kingdom did the people know that he was shot down in battle.

And so, the kingdom turned to the second oldest. He was smart – wily and cunning, he knew the ways to fool everything and everyone, tricks of every trade and the mind to twist anyone's wills to his tune. Surely, he would be the successor, they thought.

However, it was not so.

The youngest, the weakest and kindest of them three, was the one who found out. He saw his brother's body in a river, lungs filled with water as he drowned after he was thrown into it with all his limbs tied with rope.

Tears sprinkled all over the letter that he sent back to the king, and then, he realized.

He alone didn't want to become the successor. Everyone knew that – that's why nobody thought that he would even go ahead on the journey. However, there was one _other._

The _other_ brother, the ruthless bloodied brother.

He alone was different, that _other_ brother, for he alone was adopted. He was incapable of being the successor. But the _other_ brother cared little for that – all he wanted was to become the king of the bloodied secretive kingdom, and the younger brother knew he would do anything to get what he wanted.

_Even if it meant killing them three._

And so, the third brother, the weak-willed, innocent brother ran. He ran from kingdom to kingdom, from country to country, knowing that the _other_ brother would come after him. And when he felt that he would be caught – when running wasn't enough – he grabbed for the last thing he knew, an old legend that the three brothers had laughed about a few years ago.

* * *

Once upon a time, there was a monster.

Blond hair colored red, flames followed everywhere he went. He killed, he pillaged – wherever he stepped, murder was sure to follow. But then, the kind feared king of a secretive kingdom put him down, defeated him and bound him with chains.

These chains however, weren't physical. They were the promises, morals, _family _that the kind king gave the monster in exchange for his loyalty. In time, these chains changed the monster himself, broke his curse and turned him into a single blond man, with the blood replaced by smiles and the murder replaced with the king's code of honor.

The three brothers only met this man once, and they never believed the story. They knew it was true in their minds, but in their hearts they never believed the blond man used to be a monster, a man-killing machine.

However, that was enough for the frightened youngest brother, and he ran home, ran back in hopes that it would be enough.

* * *

And so, when the _other_ brother came to kill the youngest brother, there was the monster-that-turned-into-a-man.

But when the _other _brother attacked the third brother, the favored brother, the man didn't do anything.

When the third brother begged and screamed, he didn't budge.

This continued, until one thing happened that made the monster snap.

The third brother _prayed_ for his father, for the king left behind in his lonely bloodied throne. He wished it had gone differently, that the _other_ brother had not been so brutal. And when he did, the monster saw someone else. He saw someone else, left behind in a country by his father.

_Little did everyone know, the monster was related to the kind king by blood._

Iemitsu saw the youngest of the three brothers, and the _other_ with his gun pointed at the praying one's face.

_Little did everyone know, the monster had a wife and a son._

Iemitsu then didn't see the two brothers anymore – instead, he saw his own son, Tsuna, in the place of the youngest. He saw his beloved son, bloodied and begging, as he was dragged into a world that he had no choice to be in.

_No doubt, if the three brothers were killed, his family would be the next to be targeted._

He saw red.

_The man, realizing that fact-_

He burst into flames.

_-decided to break his own chains, if only for a moment, to turn back into the monster. A monster, for the sake of his family._

He only woke up, hours later, drenched again in blood as the youngest looked at him in both awe and fear, and the _other_ brother dead in his hands.

Then, the monster ran. He ran to the kind king and begged for forgiveness. He then begged for a chance to meet his own family again, not the king's own, just for a moment, just to ensure the safety of his own son and wife.

He ran, he ran, and he continued-

_"I apologize, Sawada-san. Your son has been in the hospital for two weeks now."_

-only to find that he was too late.

He had been there to save the son of the king – _and murder the other_ – but failed to save his own.

* * *

"My son, are you sure?"

He nodded. "Don't worry about me too much. I'm alright now, and we have plenty of people around Namimori already, right?"

He then laughed. "And Reborn's here too anyway. I have to go now."

Closing his cellphone, the Decimo entered the classroom, turned, and gave a smile.

"He would be a transfer student from Italy." The teacher announced to his waiting class, "Welcome him please. Now, would you introduce yourself?"

He only widened the smile and bowed, "My name is Federico Vongola. I hope we all get along nicely."

Federico's eyes then searched for a single brunet before sending him a grin.

"I'm happy to meet you Tsuna, my far-off cousin!"

* * *

**AN: Quick update, in preparation for the next chapter.**

**Yeah, it's short, and pretty much difficult to understand. I do hope you guys understand what most of it means though…**

_"Sometimes… all you have to realize is to start looking at all of your mistakes – and then laugh. Was this all that you were worrying over? Surely, by within weeks, you would've learnt from them, if not forgotten them entirely. We humans can be like that. Because you know, sometimes… all you have to do is to accept everything as they come."_

\- _ReaderDreamer5625_


End file.
